Reviews by SeanChouffe:

She pours a hazy golden/orange with plenty of fine carbonation. The head is foamy and white with great retention. Aroma is earthy bready and fruity. Flavor is tart with an astringent finish and some sweetness in the background. Spicy and peppery taste lingers. Mouthfeel is lively and effervescent, yet the astringent/hoppiness prevails.

More User Reviews:

Appearance  Beautiful orangish-yellow body with good carbonation and lots of sediment. The head is full of tight, white, tiny bubbles that lasted (what seemed like) forever.

Smell  Big, bitter orange peel along with strong Belgian yeast and crazy spicing make this one a ringer for the style. This has a gorgeous aroma. The yeast and orange peel are very deep and strong. The spicing is traditional coriander with white pepper and maybe allspice. Theres also a taste of Italy in there  maybe tarragon?

Taste  Wow! This is a mouthful. The yeast sweetens up a bit and makes way for the huge floral hopping. Is this a Belgian Rogue? This thing is monstrous.

Shortly after the shock of gigantic yeast and hops comes an even bigger player. The spices from the nose turn it up about 20 notches and BHAM! youve got a chalky pallet and half your spice drawer is empty. This is not one for the meek and mild.

Mouthfeel  Well over medium-bodied, this one is a shock to the senses. The medicinal alcohol sting is like icing on the Belgian cake.

Drinkability  This was extraordinary and a joy to consume. Its not for everyone, but it will never be accused of wimping out.

Comments  Truly an extreme BSPA by any measure.

Update  I had this for the first time in December 2003 so thought it would be interesting to re-review it with a 2004 vintage. My feelings and observations really havent changed much over a year. This is a very hoppy, spicy, over-the-top Belgian that is smooth as silk.

My only reservation is that I wish it was a bit bigger. In 2003 I described the body as, well over medium, but would now say that it is definitely medium. It is so smooth and so silky and so much fun to hold in the mouth though that I would easily give it a 5 for Mouthfeel if it was just a bit bigger.

Taste: Spicy right up front with a bitter herbal flavour in the back, fruitiness and malt sweetness meld together as the medicinal phenols form. A ghost like buttery flavour comes and goes quickly, lots of bitter hop and warming alcohol real mellow solvent alcohol. A dusty yeast and more of the bitter hop in the finish.

Notes: This beer shows that the high hop trend is alive and kicking in Belgium, certainly a beer I could get comfortable with all night long.

330 ml bottle, with "consumir antes de" date of may 05. Pours light amber, with orange hues and cloudy, larger bubble head, settles down to a small bubble film and leaves lacing. Nose is musty and slightly medicinal. Taste is peppery, yeasty, spicy, apricots, rum soaked raisins, medicinal, phenolic and in general, pleasing. Crisp and dry in the finish with more spice and hop notes. This stuff weighs in at 8%. Dont let the nice soft yeasty/wheaty feel of this one fool you, its a Strong PA all the way. Tasty, very "Belgian" in its attack. Nicely crafted and worth trying.

A 330ml bottle with a BB of April 2013. Acquired ages ago from a Belgian webshop and stored in my garage. My bottle has a different label from the one shown, and the ABV is 8%. However it says Blonde, so I presume it's the same beer. I'm curious about the suited figure on the front.

Poured into a Duvel tulip. Bottle conditioned. A hazy golden-amber hue with good carbonation and a fair bit of chunky sediment floating around (I tried to keep it in the bottle but it wasn't to be). Yields a huge head of creamy white foam that lasts for a while before reducing to a surface layer. Aroma of fruity yeast esters, apples, sugar, earthy yeast, a hint of coriander, faint grain and subtle stewed hops. Quite sweet, with a warming whiff of booze in the background.a

Tastes of sweet malt with a yeasty character and a dry finish. Notes of fruity yeast esters, white sugar, earthy yeast, mild coriander, grassiness, faint grain and stewed hops. Sweet yet seemingly well-attenuated. Dry, with a mild bitterness upon swallowing and an alcoholic warmth in the background. Mouthfeel is smooth, tingly and mildly spicy, with pleasant carbonation and great body. Rolls over the tongue like velvet. Somewhat astringent, with an aftertaste of fruity yeast esters, sugar and faint stewed leaves.

A decent brew, if not especially noteworthy. Looks the part, with a relatively restrained aroma/flavour of yeast esters, mild spice and alcohol. Lovely body. A perfectly drinkable strong Belgian blonde - worth sampling if you come across it.

Appearance: Hazy golden pale nicely formed nice thicket of white head stays together nicely. Lacing is intricate and thick great appearance ratings for this hopped up Belgian ale. Aroma: Herbal hop profile with a peppery spicy kick finishes gently with a clove and citrus combo great smelling brew, hops and spice shine while malts are there and sweetness and alcohol come through they don't own the stage here. Taste: Up front bitterness if only the flavor were as awe inspiring as the aromatics of this brew. Grassy herbal hop peppery spices sweet rolling malts not bad at all. Mouthfeel: Medium bodied effervescent carbonation excellent stuff. Drinkability: Decent I'm a bit under impressed by the flavor but well used hops makes it an experience and unlike most other Belgian ales.

330ml bottle poured into a Belgian goblet. There is some sediment at the bottom of the bottle that I manage to keep inside. In the glass, it's a pale golden yellow with good clarity. The thick white crown is very tightly structured and has good lasting retention.

Aroma is mild but pleasant. Nice tropical fruits, banana, and some spice. Yeast esters also contribute.

Flavor is sweet up front with a strong spicy middle and very dry finish. Some of those fruits from the aroma carry over but it's dominated by pepper and clove. The finish is almost champagne dry.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and high on carbonation, which may add to the drying effect. Drinkability is hindered by this and the apparent alcohol.

This isn't a bad beer, by most standards, but it fails to impress the way most do in this category. While I'm not sure if the date was 'bottled on' or 'best enjoyed by', I would think the age would have rounded the edges more than this.

Courtesy of ShogoKawada (immense thanks!). Best before June, 2010. Poured from a 330mL bottle into my Troubadour tulip.

The body starts off a clear icterine though the ropy chocolate yeast mars this perfection delightfully - the body turns a shade of goldenrod. Dense, milky, magnolia finger of foam - freckled by yeast - persits very well and leaves behind thin ribbons of merengue for lacing.

Rustic yeast flavors - slightly tart, lots of dark bread notes, buckwheat soba, bergamot, overripe fruit of some sort, "funk" and some odd bitterness that almost comes across as medicinal though in the finish. I RARELY say this, but this might be better if you leave the yeast in the bottle...

Well carbonated, a touch chalky maybe - soft medium-bodied mouthfeel.

Maybe not quite as good as the brown - I still feel very lucky to get a chance to try this, and would certainly buy it occasionally if it were more available.

33cl bottle from Oct 2001. Pours a very cloudy yellow-brown (nasty color) with a small white head. Nice lacing; a lot of sediment. Super strong yeast smell. Slightly bready with some light dried fruit. Quite sweet. Strong yeasty taste. Slight honey along with some light fruit. A light bit of roasty malt. Somewhat boozy; noticeable in both the taste and the warming finish. Very faint tanginess. Sweet finish. Nice, full body with good carbonation. The combination of a less-than-pleasant taste and the booziness means this one isn't super drinkable.

T: Yeasty, slightly sour (in a good way) caramel with a fermented apple juice base. A bit of orange peel-like spice in the back. Overall, it's an interesting flavor profile. Alcohol is present too. Not the best, but not bad.

M: Decent carbonation, although it could use just a touch more. Relatively rich mouthfeel for the alcohol content.

D: Drinkable enough.

Overall, semi-recommended. Interesting, but not that distinguishable. And, at the prices most imported Belgians cost, I can't see buying this one again.

Same day (but later) I come across an on-tap Loterbol blonde having already drank a bottled version: what a difference.

Still in the lovely little town of Diest, this bar was called 'Taverne Het Haasken' and I had two glasses of this because it was so good. The correct stemmed and badged tulip was used and although it didn't have the huge head the bottle produced it did have a good topping. The body was still cloudy like the bottled one but the aroma seemed more interesting: Coriander can be added to the hop, yeasty, fruity flavours I found within this mostly hoppy brew.

This was more like it: the flavours were strong and forceful from the start, really pleased to have found this tap version because I struggled with the bottle.

Poured from an 11.2oz bottle into a Loterbol tulip. 8% abv. on the label.

A: Pours a hazy peach color with a huge dallop of meringue-like foam on the top. Lots of chunky lace down the sides of the glass.

S: Tangy citrus, hops, and as mentioned in other reviews, a slight buttery scent (I took off points for that, not a big fan of the butter).

T: I'm getting a large lemony citrus vibe from this one. I'm also picking up hints of white pepper, peach, spicy hops, tart apples, and barely any alcohol. A malty quality pops up as it warms-a welcome addition to all of the other things going on here.

M: Sharp, carbonated, and drying, but pleasantly satisfying.

D: Despite the 8%, this is very drinkable. I found this particular bottle to be way more enjoyable than the bottles I drank of this last summer. Almost like there is less of a blatant alcohol flavor and more suble nuances to all of the fruity flavors going on here (maybe they dialed the alcohol back to 6.8% and didn't change the labels?). Quite enjoyable.

Single, slim, 11.2 oz bottle purchased from State Line Liquors in Maryland...A slow and steady pour yielded a hazy, straw-colored hue with a massive foamy head that lingered on for a bit before slowly dissipating...Inviting aroma bursting with pale citrus, ripe fruits, including, but not limited to, green apples, pears, canteloupe, and melons... Very flavorful, crisp, carbonated brew, definitely a good depiction of the style from the nose to the mouth...Crisp, filling, thick mouthfeel along with a good level of drinkability for the style... Nice, but overbearing 6.8% ABV made this a refreshing pleasure to drink without being too heady...Good stuff...Recommended...

Now this is a pretty cool beer! Tiny production-recommended by my Shelton Bro's rep-Thank You Ron! I was looking for an Abbey single, and somehow we got to talking and next thing in comes a sample of this wonderfully odd brew. The label is quite pleasing with its pastel, ruddy faced Belgian dude sitting up against a tree, wearing a red shirt with a devils hood-complete with ears. The guys smile says he's loving this drink! All this in artsy pastel shades. Anyway, this beer pours a humongous head-very much Saison like. It leaves a virtual wall of thick whiteness on the inside of the glass.Aromas are pungently sweet malt and assertive hop. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, very creamy, and very refreshing. The taste is like that of a Saison-Citrusy, hoppy-snappy with a charming degree of bitter. Only here there is an element of a blonde ale, and even a triple-some fruitiness in the way of apple and even peach or apricot, but as these flavors come to fruition they are blasted by hoppy bitter. The sweetness gets cleaned right up. I'll be drinking this again and recommend it highly!!

The taste starts with sharp orange peel, acidic, a bitter medicinal hop bite, leading to round and roasted caramel malt middle. A dry finish, instensely herbal and tart. All the flavors flex their muscles. This is not subtle, but it's plenty fun.

Great firm body, not quite syrupy, plenty of fizz.

I love this strong pale. An interesting concoction. Smells sweet, tastes full and bitter, with more apparent malt than most, lots of character, different than it's brothers and cousins.

Best before oct - 06. Good and overwelming head and foggy pale golden beercolor. Nose is very hoppy, koreander and orange/citrussynote. Some malts there and a slight hint of caramellic candy but overal very green and fresh nose. Taste is dry, some malts, citrussy and strongly hopped. First sip was hard and had to get used to it but after a few sips this one gets more and more enjoyable. Heavy and hanging bitterness is litle negative mostly to mouthfeel but overal a certainly enjoyable brew IMO.

This one is a pale dirty hazy blonde, with a good creamy head that leaves a nice lace all around.. Smell is floral, herbal, citrusy, peaches, clove, coriander, sugar candy. Taste is citrusy too, with peaches, some spices, honey and fruits. Finish is bitter.

Pours a hazy bronze color with a pillowy beige head that stinks around for the remainder of the beer. Fruity, yeasty, grainy, husky and unusually hoppy smelling for a Belgian. Complex flavors ranging from sweet tropical fruits to spicy to dry husk and hops. Earthy. Thoroughly enjoyable. I understand a majority of this beer's character comes from the Duysters brewery's unique yeast strains.

Presentation- Poured into my Duvel tulip. 11.2oz bottle with a best before May, 2005 date.

Appearance- Golden-orange colored pour with a fat creamy white head and excellent lacing.

Smell- Not skunky, but not a good smell. Smells like rotted veggies or maybe even rotted meat.

Taste- Taste is even worse than the smell. Bad bottle? I've had skunked bottles, and this is not skunked. It's something else. Almost as if you have left out meat on the couter or something. Kinda rancid. Can't even find malt or hops through the offensive taste.

Mouthfeel- Hard to rate mouthfeel highly when you dislike the beer. It was creamy and smooth with a medium carbonation level.

I was a little disappointed with this beer because it bills itself as a blond ale, and is definitely in the strong ale category. The pour is a frothy, white foam, with strong lacing that definitely hangs around for awhile. The color is a darker shade of orange, a bit cloudy, with some small yeasty bits flouting around the bottom of the glass. The smell is pine and alcohol. The taste is just too pungent for my liking. About right on the carbonation front, but too much alcohol in the nose, mid, and after, even for a beer that is not that strong on the ABV scale. There is a good deal of yeast in this beer, some hops, perhaps a bit of candied sugars, but the alcohol just overpowers the fine flavors underneath. It is just too bad. Maybe there is some interesting citrus hints, and a little minty, but it's that alcohol that just negates what might be interesting underneath. Not my cup of tea as for blonde ales. It will warm you on a cold night, and that is the most positive thing I can say about a beer for which I won't be returning. Perhaps you'll like it better than I.

An amazing beer from and amazing brewery in today's world. "The Duysters Brewery may well be the smallest commercial brewery in Belgium - with annual production of both of its beers is only about 650 cases." (Shelton)

" Loterbol is a Flemish word for a fool or prankster, an allusion to the deceptive smoothness and drinkability of this beer." (Shelton) Based upon a unique yeast strain, this beer takes its hoppy nature to a uniquely satisfying and drinkable level. Instead of the citrus hoppiness expected there is an exquisitely balanced and delicious flavor that satisfies and builds an nice inner warmth. This blond ale is at once both creamy and crispy in its finish. Delightfully well-built beer.